Press Releases

September 9, 2021 (Washington, D.C.) – Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) today announced the introduction of the Safe Travel Act, which would require proof of vaccination or a negative covid test within 72 hours of travel for domestic airline and Amtrak trips. The legislation would also require all affiliated airport or Amtrak employees to be vaccinated or be subject to weekly covid testing. Beyer sits on the House Committee on Ways and Means, which has partial jurisdiction over health policy, and is the Chairman of the Science, Space, and Technology Subcommittee on Space and Aeronautics, which has partial jurisdiction over aeronautics policy.

“Requiring airport and Amtrak travelers and employees to provide a proof of COVID vaccine or negative test is just common sense,” said Rep. Beyer. “These are easy steps we can take to make travel safer, as companies like United have already demonstrated with responsible policy changes. Americans want a return to normal that includes traveling for business or pleasure, and Congress can help make people comfortable traveling again by putting basic requirements in place that prevent the spread of Covid.”

Text of the Safe Travel Act is available here.

Beyer previously introduced a bill to require healthcare providers to be vaccinated. He also introduced a provision which ultimately made Covid vaccines free to the American people, and was one of the first rank-and-file Members of Congress to receive their vaccine. He is the author of the bipartisan COVID-19 Long Haulers Act.